The Clone Wars: Season 7: Episode 12: "Victory and Death"

The Clone Wars: Season 7: Episode 12: "Victory and Death" written by Dave Filoni, directed by Nathaniel Villaneuva

     Although mostly action and fighting, this episode still somehow managed to feel like the perfect bookend to a truly amazing series. A wide range of stories played out over the seasons--from those that focused on droids, to clone character studies, to political intrigue--but this has always been Ahsoka's story. The original feature film that started it all was our introduction to this spunky Togruta. Headstrong and feisty, she grew in knowledge, wisdom, and heart as the seasons progressed. Her demanding Rex to set his guns to stun when fighting the other clone troopers in this episode shows how deeply she cares for the people around her. This series took a brand new character and developed her by leaps and bounds so she could become the character we see in the "Rebels" TV show--a leader, cautious, wise, and caring. The way these two series now seamlessly flow one into the other, both in regards to Ahsoka and Maul, is nothing short of brilliant.
     The opening to this episode is so incredibly heartbreaking! It's the music from Padme's funeral and my heart hurts because of it. I'm always in tears at this point in Revenge of the Sith so my heartstrings were immediately tugged and I was primed for a cryfest during this entire episode.
     Ahsoka, Rex, and three droids (see above) are all that stand against an entire star destroyer full of clone troopers. And Maul is still causing an insane amount of havoc as he even goes so far as to completely destroy the hyperdrive chamber and the ship's inner workings (see below). The whole ship is being fried from the inside out. There's a sequence of Maul, post-destruction, surrounded by lightning and flying sparks--it is a gorgeous portrayal of his rage.

     Ahsoka and Rex at first plan to take a shuttle to safety as the doomed destroyer falls toward an unknown planet after being violently pulled out of hyperspace. But Maul, vengeful at Ahsoka not accepting his help, steals the shuttle for himself. As the two heroes search for a way off the destroyer, the droids help them out by lifting and dropping entire sections of the hangar bay floor to decrease the amount of troopers firing at them at any one time. Finally they catch a break and locate a fighter that is flyable, but in the chaos, the two get separated. Luckily, due to Ahsoka's Jedi abilities, she's able to fly through the air and eventually catch up with the small craft (see below).

     After all this action, there's just pure sadness--and the music for the rest of the episode plays right into this (eerie, woeful sounds). We see all the deceased troopers' helmets on stakes (see below) and Ahsoka is forlorn at the reality of the situation they find themselves in--to the point that she just drops her lightsaber to the ground. In a word, she is defeated.

     And then we jump years into the future and Darth Vader along with snow troopers and stormtroopers are searching the wreckage of the star destroyer on the unknown planet. Vader finds Ahsoka's saber and lights it (see below) as a convor (the symbol of Ahsoka) flies overhead. When does this take place?? Have Ahsoka and Vader had their fight on Malachor yet? Or has he not yet discovered that she's still alive? Despite all the questions swirling in my head about the timeline of all this, it was a perfect, heartfelt, super sad ending to an incredibly rich series. I am so happy they jumped in time and showed Vader as it made the reality of everything all the more emotional.

     These last four episodes were grade A+ Star Wars material, connecting so many things in so many ways and brilliantly giving us another view into the end of the Clone Wars. I can't say enough about what this series means to me as a whole and I feel so incredibly satisfied by how it all came to an end. Yes, it does differ from the Ahsoka novel but I think what they gave us just felt so right and so good, although so sad at the same time, that the ret-conning was worth the final result. I don't know what they'll do about the relevant parts of the novel--if they'll change them or leave them be--but I am satisfied with how things played out on a deep, guttural level. Here's to the "Clone Wars"!! An epic adventure that captured my heart and never let it go.